9090. 'And when a man's ox inflicts a blow on [his] companion's ox' means two truths with dissimilar affections, and the affection with one injures that with the other. This is clear from the meaning of 'inflicting a blow' as injuring truth, dealt with above in 9057; from the meaning of 'an ox' as an affection for good, and in the contrary sense an affection for evil in the natural, also dealt with above, in 9065; and from the meaning of 'a man' as truth, dealt with in 9034, so that 'man' and 'companion' mean two truths. The reason why dissimilar affections are what are meant is that they are oxen, by which affections are meant, that injure each other. For things which are dissimilar injure each other, but not those which are not dissimilar.

[2] Those unacquainted with the nature of representatives and correspondences may be astonished to learn that 'an ox', being a beast, can mean an affection for good or an affection for evil present with a person But let them know that all beasts mean such things as belong to some affection or inclination. This is very well known in the spiritual world, for various kinds of beasts frequently make their appearance there, such as oxen' young bulls, cows, horses, mules, asses, sheep, she-goats, kids, and lambs; also evil beasts, such as tigers, panthers, bears, dogs, pigs, and serpents, as well as beasts seen nowhere on our planet; and in addition various kinds of birds.

[3] The idea that such creatures make their appearance there lies far beyond the belief of those who suppose that nothing exists apart from what they see with their bodily eyes. But these same people also refuse to believe in the existence of spirits or angels, even more so in the idea that they appear to themselves as persons, see one another, talk to one another, and touch one another. Their incredulity is due to their thinking so much on the level of the senses and the body that they suppose their bodies alone are living. This is why, as has been stated, the idea of such creatures lies far beyond their belief. But I have not only seen such sights thousands of times; I have also been told where the creatures I have seen come from, and what they are signs of. I have also accordingly been told that, when presented visually in animal forms, affections for good in the natural appear as harmless oxen, and affections for evil as harmful oxen, and that all other affections are presented in the forms of other animals. So it is that different kinds of beasts are the signs of the various kinds of affections in a person to which they correspond. But regarding these matters see what has been shown already in 142, 143, 246, 714-716, 719, 1823, 2179, 2180, 2781, 2805, 2807, 2830, 3218, 3519, 5198, 7523.

9064. Verses 28-36 And when an ox strikes a man or a woman with its horn, and [the person] dies, the ox shall surely be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; and the owner ¹ of the ox shall be guiltless. And if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, ² and this has been testified to its owner' and he does not keep it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and also its owner' shall die. If expiation has been imposed on him ³ , he shall pay for the redemption of his soul according to all that has been imposed on him. Whether it strikes a son with its horn or strikes a daughter with its horn, according to this judgement it shall be done to him. If the ox strikes a male slave with its horn, or a female slave, [the owner] shall give their master thirty shekels of silver; and the ox shall be stoned. And when a man opens a pit, or when a man digs a pit, and does not cover it, and an ox or an ass falls into it, [the owner] of the pit shall make repayment; he shall give silver to its owner, ⁴ and the dead [animal] shall be his. And when a man's ox inflicts a blow on his companion's ox, and it dies, they shall sell the living ox, and divide the silver from it; and they shall also divide the dead one. Or if it is known that the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, ⁵ and its owner ⁴ does not keep it in, he shall surely repay ox for ox; and the dead one shall be his.

'And when an ox strikes a man or a woman with its horn' means if an affection for evil in the natural injures the truth or the good of faith. 'And [the person] dies' means to the extent that it destroys it. 'It shall surely be stoned' means the punishment for destroying the truth or good of faith. 'And its flesh shall not be eaten' means that this evil must not by any means be made one's own but must be cast away. 'And the owner of the ox shall be guiltless' means that the evil is not attributable to the internal man, because it has come from the will but not from the understanding. 'And if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past' means if the affection for evil has existed for a long time. 'And this has been testified to its owner' means, and this evil has passed into the understanding. 'And he does not keep it in' means failure to restrain it. 'And it kills a man or a woman' means if it then destroys the truth or the good of faith. 'The ox shall be stoned' means the punishment for destroying truth. 'And also its owner shall die' means damnation of the internal man. 'If expiation has been imposed on him' means in order that he may be made free from damnation. 'He shall pay for the redemption of his soul' means painful experiences of repentance. 'According to all that has been imposed on him' means according to the nature of the affection for evil springing from the understanding. 'Whether it strikes a son with its horn or strikes a daughter with its horn' means an assault made by an affection for evil on truths and forms of the good of faith that are derived from interior things. 'According to this judgement it shall be done to him' means that the punishment will be similar. 'If the ox strikes a male slave with its horn, or a female slave' means if the affection for evil destroys truth or good in the natural. '[The owner] shall give their master thirty shekels of silver' means that the internal man shall restore it completely. 'And the ox shall be stoned' means the punishment for destroying truth and good in the natural. 'And when a man opens a pit' means if anyone receives falsity from another. 'Or when a man digs a pit, land does not cover it]' means, or if the person himself fabricates it. 'And an ox or an ass falls into it' means, which perverts good or truth in the natural. 'The owner of the pit shall make repayment' means that the one with whom the falsity resides shall make amends. 'He shall give silver to its owner' means by means of truth with him whose good or truth in the natural has been perverted. 'And the dead [animal] shall be his' means that the evil or falsity will remain with him. 'And when a man's ox inflicts a blow on his companion's ox' means two truths with dissimilar affections, and the affection with one injures that with the other. 'And it dies' means so severely that the good affection perishes. 'They shall sell the living ox' means that the affection with the one which has injured the affection with the other shall be alienated. 'And divide the silver from it' means that its truth will be dispersed. 'And they shall also divide the dead one' means that the injuring affection as well will be dispersed. 'Or if it is known that the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past' means if it has been known previously that its affection is such. 'And its owner does not keep it in' means, and if it is not held in bonds. 'He shall surely repay ox for ox' means restoration to the full. 'And the dead one shall be his' means for the injuring affection.

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